Naturalis Historia (Natural History) by Pliny the elder (1st Century), Periplus of the Erythraean Sea by an unknown author (1st or 3rd century), Muziris papyrus, an agreement by two merchants in Egypt and Muziris (2nd century), presence of Roman, Greek and Persian antiquities etc. from BC onwards until early centuries are few examples.

Suriyani or Syriac, a dialect of Aramaic, is the language that was widely used in the Middle East until 8th century, before Arabic replaced it. East Syriac and West Syriac are the two dialects of Syriac. East Syriac was the living language in Persian Sassanids (3rd-7th centuries) and west Syriac was developed in the emperors of Greek Byzantium, who waged war against each other. There are differences in the scripts, vowel system and pronunciation for these two dialects, but both these dialects have similar vocabulary grammatical structure.

It is now in modern Iraq, previously it was the capital of the Sassanid Empire of Persia. In 410 AD at the Council of Mar Isaac, the Bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon declared himself as "Catholicos of all the Orient" and equated his see with the sees of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria and Rome. The council declared that the Church would adhere to the decisions of the Council of Nicea and Nicene Creed. Prior to the Synod, see of Antioch had theoretical jurisdiction over Persia although this jurisdiction was vague.

This Church was originated beyond the borders of Roman Empire and spreaded through central Asia, India, Arabia, China, Tibet and until far Eastern countries like Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Church is also known as Nestorian Church. Nestorius, the Patriarch of Constantinople has happened to be condemned as a heretic at the First Ecumenical Council of Ephesus. After the schism, many of his supporters split with the rest of the Christendom and over the next decades a number of them relocated to Persia. Thereafter Nestorian doctrine became the official position of the Church of the East.

The separation of Persian Church was evident even earlier. In 410 AD at the Council of Mar Isaac, the Bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon-the head of the CoE, declared himself as "Catholicos of all the Orient" and equated his see with the sees of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria and Rome. The council declared that the Church would adhere to the decisions of the Council of Nicea and Nicene Creed. Prior to the Synod, see of Antioch had theoretical jurisdiction over Persia although this jurisdiction was vague.

East Syriac rite is the liturgical rite practiced by the Assyrian Church of the East (Chaldean Syrian Church in India), Chaldean Catholic Church and Syro-Malabar Church. This rite and the East Syriac language were completely developed within Persian Empire. This is the ancient rite of Mar Thoma Nasranis prior to the arrival of Portuguese and its modified form is still practiced by the Churches derived from Pazhayakoor faction. Puthenkoor faction also used this rite until the West Syrian rite was completely adopted by mid nineteenth century.

West Syriac is part of the Antiochene liturgical rite, originated in the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch, is practiced by the Syriac Orthodox Church and churches related to or derived from it. This rite and the West Syriac language were completely developed outside Persian Empire or the regions within Roman Empire, particularly Antioch and near by provinces. This rite was formed by adapting the old Greek liturgy of Antioch into Syriac. This liturgy is used by Churches derived from Puthenkoor faction. Adaptation of Antiochean liturgy among the Puthenkoor Nasranis was not immediately after the schism during 1653-65 AD, but has taken more than a century to complete, from the 1750s to the 1860s.

East Syriac Tradition
East Syriac rite is the liturgical rite practiced by the Assyrian Church of the East (Chaldean Syrian Church in India), Chaldean Catholic Church and Syro-Malabar Church. This rite and the East Syriac language were completely developed within Persian Empire. This is the ancient rite of Mar Thoma Nasranis prior to the arrival of Portuguese and its modified form is still practiced by the Churches derived from Pazhayakoor faction. Puthenkoor faction also used this rite until the West Syrian rite was completely adopted by mid nineteenth century.

West Syriac Tradition
West Syriac is part of the Antiochene liturgical rite, originated in the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch, is practiced by the Syriac Orthodox Church and churches related to or derived from it. This rite and the West Syriac language were completely developed outside Persian Empire or the regions within Roman Empire, particularly Antioch and near by provinces. This rite was formed by adapting the old Greek liturgy of Antioch into Syriac. This liturgy is used by Churches derived from Puthenkoor faction. Adaptation of Antiochean liturgy among the Puthenkoor Nasranis was not immediately after the schism during 1653-65 AD, but has taken more than a century to complete, from the 1750s to the 1860s.

Reformed ChurchReformed Churches have partly or fully accepted protestant reformations of Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. Mar Thoma Syrian Church and Malabar Independent Church have undergone such reformation as a result of their interactions with the Anglican Church. Mar Thoma Church is in full communion with the Anglican Church.

Oriental Orthodox Churches
Oriental Orthodox Churches are the Churches of East that recognise only the first three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the First Council of Ephesus. It should noted that the ancient Church of the East do not fall into this category. Also they do not belong to the Eastern Orthodoxy.

1553 AD: Schism within the Church of the East
Due to difference in opinion about the hereditary succession of Patriarchal position, Monk Yohannan Sulaqa in 1552 AD, went to Rome to be consecrated and installed Patriarch. Pope Julius III installed him as Patriarch in 1553 AD. His successors till the end of the sixteenth century were 'Abdiso' (1555-1571), 'Aithalla' (1578-1580), and 'Denha Simon' (1581-1600). Abdiso visited Rome and obtained confirmation and the Pallium. Aithalla owing to the old age could visit Rome, nor did he get confirmation from Rome before his death. Denha Simon got confirmation and the Pallium from Rome. It was this Patriarch who was in open communion with Rome that was condemned by Dom Menezes as heretic in the Udayamperoor Sunahados. Since the arrival of Mar Yousef Sulaqa, the brother of Yohannan Sulaqa, in Malabar in 1555 AD as a prelate, the Malabar Church became in full communion with the Church of Rome.

1599 AD: The so-called Udayamperoor Sunhados
On June 20, 1599, for commandeering obedience to the supreme Bishop of Rome, the Portuguese Archbishop Menezes of Goa summoned a synod at Udayamperoor. They sought the help from the Rajah of Kochi (Cochin). The Rajah of Kochi and local Hindu Chieftains threatened those who refused to attend the Sunhados, as commanded by the Portuguese. The Rajah had even declared that all assets of Mar Thoma Nazrani Churches that stay away from the Sunhados would be forfeited. The delegates (153 priests and 660 faithful), headed by Archdeacon Giwargis d’Sleeva (George of the cross), who attended the Sunhados were forced to accept the decrees read out by the Archbishop Menezes as the military of Portuguese and Kochi Rajah surrounded the Church. Thus Mar Thoma Nasranis were subjugated under the Roman Catholic hierarchy of Goa. A Church that had origins from Saint Thomas the Apostle with unrestricted jurisdiction became a mere suffragan under the Latin archdiocese of Goa.

Arrival of European Traders
After years of break, a European traveller of Portuguese origin, Vasco De Gama reaches in the Malabar Coast at Kappadu, near Kozhikode, a region under the dominance of Zamoothiri (Zamorin). In. He visited Kochi again in 1502 and 1524. Portuguese astonished after seeing the Christians of Malabar, but later they reaslised that they were under the spiritual guidance of Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon. In the view of Roman Pontiff, the Chaldean Church was heritic as they were the followers of Nestorius who was the Patriarch of Constantinople from 428 AD until 431 AD.

1653 AD: Revolt of Nasranis
The frustration of the Nasranis reached its zenith in 1653 with the 'Coonan cross oath'. The Coonan Cross Oath was the revolt by Nasranis against the Portuguese as a result of the dominance that they have exerted on the Church of Nasranis since the so-called Synod of Udaymperoor in 1599. It took place on 3 January 1653 at Mattancherry in Cochin. At the time of Coonan cross oath, only 400 out of 3,00,000 Saint Thomas Christians stood with the Portuguese missionaries (Jesuits). Result of the Coonan Cross oath was that an Independent Church under the leadership of the Arkkadiyokan was formed.
Aftermath events divided the community into two factions: Pazhayakoor, under the leadership of Palliveettil Chandy Methraan, with a legitimate Bishopric consecration and the Puthenkoor under the leadership of Arkkadiyaokkan or Mar Thoma I, without a legitimate Bishopric consecration.

Church of the East (CoE)
This Church was originated beyond the borders of Roman Empire and spreaded through central Asia, India, Arabia, China, Tibet and until far Eastern countries like Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Church is also known as Nestorian Church. Nestorius, the Patriarch of Constantinople has happened to be condemned as a heretic at the First Ecumenical Council of Ephesus. After the schism, many of his supporters split with the rest of the Christendom and over the next decades a number of them relocated to Persia. Thereafter Nestorian doctrine became the official position of the Church of the East.

The separation of Persian Church was evident even earlier. In 410 AD at the Council of Mar Isaac, the Bishop of Seleucia-Ctesiphon-the head of the CoE, declared himself as "Catholicos of all the Orient" and equated his see with the sees of Jerusalem, Antioch, Alexandria and Rome. The council declared that the Church would adhere to the decisions of the Council of Nicea and Nicene Creed. Prior to the Synod, see of Antioch had theoretical jurisdiction over Persia although this jurisdiction was vague.

Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church is the Church that originated in Roman empire. The head of the Church Patriarch of Rome, popularily known as "Pope". The Church follows the Latin liturgical rite and maintains that Pope is the successor of Saint Peter the Apostle.

Palliveettil Chandy Methran dies
It was only due to the political situation that the Pazhayakoor faction got a native bishop Palliveettil Chandy Methraan. Otherwise Sebastini would have continued in his position. It is interesting to note that Rome tactfully did not continue the indigenous bishopric of Malabar after the death of Palliveettil Chandy Methran in 1687 AD. If they were sincere, we would have seen more indigenous bishops immediately after the death of Palliveettil Chandy Methraan.

1773 AD: First split within the Puthenkoor faction
Malabar Independent Church is established.

1843-1885 AD: Second split within the Puthenkoor faction
Mar Thoma Syrian Church is established.

1862-1904 AD: Schismatic period of the Pazhayacoor faction
Formation of Chaldean Syrian Church

1887 AD: Formation of the vicariates for Syro-Malabar Church
Two independent Vicariates for the Syro-Malabar Church are formed: 1) Kottayam(present Changanaseri) and 2) Thrissur. The original see of the Church (Angamaly) was suppressed to wipe out any trace of an independent Church with unrestricted jurisdiction. Rome renamed the Church (Church of Saint Thomas Christians) to Syro-Malabar Church, which by any means reflects her origin.
The Church had to wait until 1896 AD to get their first indigenous bishop. If the line of Palliveettil Chandy Methran was continued immediately afterwards, or Mar Kariyattil had an immediate successor after his death, the alliance of Pazhayakoor faction with Rome would have been meaningful and the reunion with Puthenkoor faction would have become a reality. They had to wait more than 200 years to get nominal freedom to keep their tarditions and liturgical rite.

1912-1974 AD: Third period of unsteadyness within the Puthenkoor faction
Formation of Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church and Jacobite Syrian Christian Church.

Pazhayakoor (Old Alliance)
The events after the Coonan Cross Oath, the historical revolt of Nasranis against the authority of Europeans, divided the community into two factions: Pazhayakoor, under the leadership of Palliveettil Chandy Methraan, with a legitimate Bishopric consecration and the Puthenkoor under the leadership of Arkkadiyaokkan or Mar Thoma I, without a legitimate Bishopric consecration.
Pazhayakoor faction continued their alliance with Rome and in the later centuries their liturgy and lifestyle have became Latinised. Syro-Malabar Church, the majority among the Pazhayakoor faction still struggle to get freedom from the Latinisation.

Puthenkoor (New Alliance)
The events after the Coonan Cross Oath, the historical revolt of Nasranis against the authority of Europeans, divided the community into two factions: Pazhayakoor, under the leadership of Palliveettil Chandy Methraan, with a legitimate Bishopric consecration and the Puthenkoor under the leadership of Arkkadiyaokkan or Mar Thoma I, without a legitimate Bishopric consecration.
Puthenkoor faction rejected the authority of Rome and accepted the authority of Syriac Orthodox Church. Gradually, the traditional East Syriac liturgy was replaced with West Syriac. In the later times they got divided into several denominations.

Malabar Independent Syrian Church
This Church is the result of the first division among the Puthenkoor faction. At present the Church is limited near Thrissur region and has about 15,000 adherants. The Church has undergone many reformation measures and is in communion with Mar Thoma Syrian Church and Anglican Church.

Mar Thoma Syrian Church
The Mar Thoma Church is a derivative from the Puthenkoor faction. The history of this Church starts when Abraham Malpan, inspired by the teachings of Anglican Church, attempted to reform the Church in AD 1830s. The Church has about 10,00,000 adherants. The Church has undergone many reformation measures and is in communion with Malabar Independent Church and Anglican Church.

Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
This Church is the largest among the Puthenkoor faction with about 15,00,000 faithful and the headquarters in Devalokam, Kottayam. This Church is a derivative from Puthenkoor faction, but has adopted West Syriac liturgy (which is a translated form of Greek liturgy) in the 19th century.

Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
This Church operates as a suffragon diocese of Syriac Orthodox Church in Damascus. The Church has about 6,00,000 faithful with its headquarters in Puthenkurish. This Church also is a derivative from Puthenkoor faction, but has adopted West Syriac liturgy in the 19th century due to the interaction with the Jacobite prelates.

Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
This Church also is a derivative from the Puthenkoor faction and uses West Syriac liturgy. The church is in full communion with the Latin Church of Rome and a Major Arch Episcopal Church.

Church of the East in India
The Chaldean Syrian Church of the East is a metropolitan see of the Assyrian Church of the East. It is a small group that separated from Pazhayakoor faction when the Malabar Church attempted to re-establish her relationship with the Chaldean Church. The Church uses the East Syrian liturgy, but not the traditional one that was used in Malabar. Their current liturgy has undergone some reformation during thr 19th century due to the interaction with the Anglican missionaries in the Levant. The Church has about 50,000 adherants its metroplitan headquarters is located in Thrissur.

Syro-Malabar Church
This Church is a derivative from the Pazhayakoor faction and uses the Latinised or compromised East Syriac liturgy. The Church is in full communion with the Latin Church of Rome and a Major Arch Episcopal Church. Four centuries of her interactions with the Latin Church caused an identity crisis within the Church. The Church is struggling to recover her East Syrian liturgical tradition. Proper conciense is lacking even among the Bishops. In short, the Church is an East Syriac Church, but operates like a diocese of Latin Church in outlook. Number of adherants is about 40,00,000.

Second Century AD 195 AD: Pantaleunus reports that he found Christians in India with Hebrew Bible (Gospel of Matthew).
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Third Century AD 230 AD: Syriac Manuscript that states about the priesthood in India.
295-300 AD: Arrival of Mar David of Basra from Persia to help the Indian Church. [Click now to read More]

Fourth Century AD 315 AD: Mar Papa bar Aggai, sets himself up as the head of the hierarchy of bishops in the Persian Empire.
325 AD: Council of Nicea - Persia and India are represented by Mar Yohannan (John).
306-373 AD: Mar Aphrem (St. Ephrem the Syrian) writes in length about visit and death of Apostle Thomas in India.
355 AD: Bishop Theophilus, a native of Maldives, visits Malabar and reports about the Christian community.
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Fifth Century AD 410 AD: The first general Synod of the East-Syrian Church is held in Seleucia-Ctesiphon.
425 AD: Daniel, an Indian priest helps Mar Komai in translating the Greek epistles to Syriac.
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Sixth Century AD

Cosmas Indicopleustes, an Alexandrian Greek traveller and East-Syrian monk, writes about the presence of Christians in Malabar and nearby regions.

540-552 AD: Catholicos Mar Ava translates the Anaphoras of Theodore of Mopsuestia and Nestorius from Greek to East-Syriac.

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Seventh Century AD

The Catholicos-Patriarch Isho'Yahb III (649-659) complaints about shortcomings by Metropolitan Shemon (Simon) of Fars [Beth Parsaye] in his handling of Indian bishoprics.

The Patriarch raises India (Beth Hindaye) to a Metropolitan Province.

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Eighth Century AD

The Catholicos Patriarch Shiba-zkha (714-728) also consecrates Metropolitans for India.

India is placed directly under the Catholicos-Patriarch of Babylon.

Possibility of native Bishops in Malabar.

The Patriarch Timothy I clarifies that there is no obstacle to marriages between Indian and Persian Christians.

Missionaries and pilgrims from India travel to distant lands.

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Nineth Century AD824-825 AD: Arrival of the Church Builders - Mar Sabor and Mar Afroth in Kollam (Quilon), on the Malabar Coast.
824-825 AD: Malayalam Calendar or Kollam era starts.
849 AD: Copper plate grants to Maruvan Sabriso.
883 AD: King Alfred of England sends an embassy to the tomb of St. Thomas in India.
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Tenth Century AD
No clear historical records estists about this period.

Eleventh Century AD

Thazhekkad Sasanam - edicts written on rock near Kodungalloor (Cranganore).

Severe persecution against Christians in Persia and the Middle-East, Central Asia and China begins to show its affects.

The Metropolitan sees of Fars (in Iran) and India are supressed.

Malabar eventually regains its status while the Christian community in Fars slowly dies.

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Twelfth Century AD
No reliable historical records from this period.

Thirteenth Century AD1293 AD: Marco Polo, a Venetian traveller, visits the tomb of St. Thomas at Mylapore and Malabar.
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Forteenth Century AD1301 AD: Metropolitan and Gate of All India, Mar Jacob, resident at Kodungalloor (in Malabar), has the titles of Metropolitan and Director of the Holy See of Saint Thomas the Apostle, Director of All the Church of Christian India.
1340 AD: Amr son of Matthew, an East-Syrian writer talks about the tomb of St. Thomas in India.
1341 AD: Flood or Tsunami, it caused a lot of changes to the geography of Malabar Coast, including the disapperance of the harbour Muziris.
1349 AD: John De Marignolli, visits Malabar and writes about the Christians of St. Thomas.
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Fifteenth Century AD 1425-30 AD: Nicolo De Conti, an Italian traveller, visits the tomb of St. Thomas in Mylapore and speaks about the presence of East-Syrian Christians in small numbers scattered all over India.
1490 AD: A three-men delegation from Malabar meet the East-Syrian Patriarch Mar Simeon IV (Simon) in Gazarta d'Bet Zabdai (now Cizre in Turkey) requesting for Bishops.
1492 AD: Mar Thomas along with Joseph the Indian, returns to Babylon with gifts from Malabar.
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Beginning of Sixteenth Century AD 1500-1503 AD: Joseph the Indian, travels to Portugal on a Portuguese ship with his brother Matthew, also a priest.
1503 AD: Mar Elias consecrates three more bishops for India - Mar Jaballaha, Mar Denha and Mar Jacob.
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The St. Thomas Christians of India, known as Mar Thoma Nasranis, simply Nasranis or Syrian Christians, are Christians of India that trace their origin to Apostolic times. The ancestors of Nasranis were baptised by St. Thomas the Apostle, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ. They were once united and powerful, but at present due to historical reasons they are divided. A pictorial representation is given below.

The aim of Nasrani Foundation is to encourage further studies and research about St Thomas Christian community. We commit ourselves to utilise new media technologies to spread awareness of faith, tradition and heritage of Mar Thoma Nasranis. For example, we have developed a digitised dynamic liturgical calendar (see the calendar widget above), which is a handy tool to organise life according to the liturgical seasons of the Church.

For brief history of Mar Thoma Nasranis, please visit the following sections. The first chart begins from the arrival of St. Thomas the Apostle in Malabar and ends in the period just before the arrival of the Portuguese.

As shown above, the Nasranis are divided into a number of denominations. They are either independent or in communion with Churches outside the country. The second chart begins with the arrival of the Portuguese and describes the turbulent history of the community, mainly due to the attempts of the Latin hierarchy to latinise the Thomas Christians who follow the East-Syriac rite.